The Truth
by red-strawberrii
Summary: The hardest time to say ‘I Love You’ is when you think the person you love, loves someone else… –HitsuHina-
1. Chapter 1

XD well, this is a fanfic that i promised i would help work on after i got up to 'D' in my alphabet fic.

This fic is a **shared **project between me and one of my friends (who few may know as 'sasukefan1')

I will write some of the chapters, my friend will write others. We might even work together to write chapter.

So we will warn you before hand, **do not get shocked if there are two distinct writing styles.**

But otherwise, i hope you enjoy reading this fic :D

Disclaimer: We dont own no nothing

**Chapter One.**

It was a peaceful night. There were no stars in the sky, only the moon. But even the moon was such a thin crescent shape that it was practically non-existent. The world around the Fuku-Taichou was pitch black. She shivered as a gentle breeze blew against her skin and gently rustled the branches of a nearby tree. Hinamori pulled her uniform around herself tightly in the blind hope that it would provide her with a bit more warmth. She tilted her head upwards and looked up at the thin moon.

'_Shiro-chan…'_

Unconsciously, Hinamori let her mind wander, and remember what had happened only a day ago...

_Hinamori gasped._

_"Hitsugaya-kun?!"_

_"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you? It's Hitsugaya-**Taichou**!"_

_She didn't argue back_

_Hinamori looked at her childhood friend curiously. It certainly was odd for him to come and visit her. Especially at this hour. It was already pretty late at night and many people were already asleep. But Hitsugaya couldn't bear to leave Hinamori alone for a whole night. Ever since Aizen betrayed Soul Society, Hinamori wasn't as strong as she once was. The biggest problem in this scenario? Hitsugaya knew that Aizen wanted her dead._

_Hitsugaya lowered his voice, giving it a more gentle edge to it._

_"Hinamori, be careful. Aizen isn't the Taichou that you thought he was. He is a completely different person now. Don't misplace your trust."_

_Her eyes widened for a split second before returning to normal. She stared at Hitsugaya, a stare that seemed to look right through him. Hitsugaya fidgeted slightly before continuing._

_"He was a Taichou we both believed in, but where did that get us? Both of us almost died at his hands. And it is possible he will come back to finish the job."_

_Hitsugaya looked at the Fuku-Taichou in front of him fondly. His face stained pink ever so slightly before he concluded the reason for his whole visit._

_"Look, my main point is this: don't go wandering anywhere, at anytime **by yourself**." He stressed._

_"If you really have to go somewhere in the middle of the night, I don't mind if you come to the Tenth Division first and wake me up to go with you."_

_Hinamori spoke at last._

_"Aizen-Taichou, would never do anything like that. There is no need for me to be careful. Besides, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself." She then gave the short Taichou a small smile. "But thank you for your concern, Hitsugaya-**Taichou**."_

_Hitsugaya felt a knot in his stomach. He had always berated Hinamori for giving him childish nicknames and not referring to him by his proper title, but now that she actually called him 'Taichou', it felt so awkward. Three names played in his head:_

**_Shiro-chan_**

**_Hitsugaya-kun_**

**_Hitsugaya-Taichou_**

_He realized that the last one was actually the one that he didn't want to hear from Hinamori. It was already natural for her to call him something childish. And he was already in the habit of telling her off jokingly._

_The silver haired Taichou gave Hinamori a look that only spoke of concern. Hinamori gave him a reassuring smile in response. Hitsugaya sighed before departing the room._

_"Still… be careful."_

Hinamori's eyes closed slowly. She took a tiny step. Her whole body was stiff from the cold. It was quite possible that she could have half frozen to death if she didn't move again. She took another small step, her feet having a will of their own. They were taking her slowly towards the Tenth Division. She couldn't have taken more than ten steps when an unusual gust of icy wind hit her. Hinamori's body went frigid, her heart started pounding. Her hand refused to obey the commands she was giving it. Hinamori's brown orbs started to widen in fear.

'_Hinamori… please… move…' _She told herself brokenly.

Her body started to obey her again as she slowly reached for Tobiume. She felt nothing. Hinamori's eyes widened even more. How could she be so stupid? She had promised Hitsugaya she would be careful, and she forgot to bring the most important weapon she had. Her hands clenched into fists. If her body wasn't so frozen she would have ran as fast as she could towards Hitsugaya's office. But her body **was** frozen and she **couldn't** run towards Hitsugaya's office. It was almost as if, she was trapped in some evil illusion.

_Illusion…_

A revelation hit Hinamori. A scream tore from her lips, but no one would be able to hear it.

"AIZEN-TAICHOU!"

Almost as if on cue, Aizen's figure appeared within a cloud of mist. Her whole body shook. She had nothing she could use to attack him, nothing she could use to defend herself. A jolt of electricity flashed through her mind. That wasn't completely true. She closed her eyes to calm herself and then opened them soon after. There was determination written on her face, but also undeniable fear too. She began the incarnation of a kido.

A ball of pink-red energy shot out from the palm of her hand. Hinamori couldn't bring herself to actually hurt Aizen. She purposely made sure that the ball of energy was weaker than usual. It turned out the mercy she showed was pointless. The attack had smote him right on his chest, but the expression on his face hadn't changed at all. Hinamori's eyes flashed with panic as she quickly looked behind her. It was just the opening Aizen needed. In that instant, he stabbed Hinamori in the stomach. She fell to the ground. It was all happening again… She closed her eyes again as a single tear rolled down her pale face.

'_I should have… listened… to you… Shiro… chan…'_

x.

first chappy, written by **me **(because sasukefan1 MADE ME T.T")

sooooo... what do you think? XD

we love reviews very very much so **plz review** and we shall give you cookiez in thanks :O

&. strawberrii (and sasukefan1)


	2. Chapter 2

Yes, I'm sorry for leaving you all just hanging there XD

Thank you to everyone who reviewed -handz reviewers the promised cookie-

and i hope you enjoy the story :D

Disclaimer: strawberrii and sasukefan1 dont own bleach

**Chapter Two.**

Abarai Renji had finally cornered the hollow he had been following for a whole day. Renji smirked.

"You must be a pretty weak hollow, you just run away as soon as you see a shinigami. No wonder you're still alive."

The hollow roared loudly in response but soon it never roar again. Renji jumped high up into the air, yelling:

"Howl! Zabimaru!"

Renji's zanpakutou quickly achieved its shikai and he sliced the mask of the hollow in half with ease. Renji landed on his feet lightly. His face spoke of complete and utter boredom.

"I wasted so much time to chase this stupid thing down. It definitely wasn't worth it."

He looked up at the sky. Almost pitch black, except for a thin moon. His zanpakutou still in its shikai, Renji stabbed it into midair and turned it slowly as if it were a key. The ground seemed to rumble as a door opened. A black butterfly appeared and Renji walked into the door that led him out of the human world and back to Soul Society.

Renji was not prepared for what he saw.

Hinamori's body lay motionless in a puddle of fresh blood, a chilly wind still blowing against her. Renji looked around for any sign of who did it. He just managed to catch a glimpse of the back of a man with brown hair. The man slowly faded away in a cloud of mist. Renji shivered.

'_Aizen…'_

Renji snapped out of his reverie and ran over to Hinamori. He sat her up and started to shake her gently, trying to bring consciousness back to her.

"Hinamori! Wake up, Hinamori! Open your eyes and look at me! Hinamori!"

Hinamori's body was as limp as a rag doll. She couldn't talk and she couldn't move, but though her brain was fuzzy, she could still think.

'_Is it… Shi… Shiro-chan…?'_

She begged herself to let her eyes open. One of her dark eyes managed to open only the slightest bit. She saw a figure with crimson hair; she instantly knew it wasn't Hitsugaya. Then she sank back to her world of darkness.

'_Abarai… kun…'_

Renji knew that he wasn't going to help anyone by sitting and shaking her for any longer. He picked her up lightly and ran as fast as he could towards the Fourth Division, taking care not to hurt the horribly injured Fuku-Taichou even more. Renji practically kicked the door open, greeted by a surprised, but concerned, Unohana.

"What is going on?"

Then the captain noticed the girl Renji was holding in his hands. The girl who was slowly dying.

"Unohana-Taichou, Hinamori is injured. Please help her."

The medical expert needed no more convincing. She quickly woke up Isane and started to treat Hinamori, taking her to another room. Renji waited outside anxiously. Inside his head, Renji thanked the hollow that had occupied so much of his time. Without it, no one would have found Hinamori's body until it was much too late. He shuddered. He couldn't imagine the Gotei 13 without Hinamori. It seemed like centuries later when Isane exited the room with a serious look on her face and told Renji of Hinamori's state.

"She's weak, very weak, but she should heal fine. It is nothing like the last time she was stabbed. There **is** a fifteen percent chance she will go into a coma, but most likely she will be fine."

Then Isane had one simple question that she wanted an answer to:

"Who did this?"

Renji looked down. He really didn't know, but then he remembered the tall figure who faded away slowly, his sword covered in blood. Hinamori's blood. The man had brown hair. Renji quickly described the person he saw, not voicing his thought on who he believed it was. It didn't seem he needed to. Isane gasped, a breathy whisper escaped her lips.

"Aizen…"

Isane span around and walked back into the room, flustered. The door was opened long enough for Renji to see that Unohana was sitting next to a bed which held Hinamori, simply watching over her. She had done everything she could; the rest was all up to Hinamori.

**.X.**

The message went around about a meeting for the Gotei 13 at noon. Everyone had to attend. Hitsugaya took the message in with mild interest. It was only an hour from noon and there was nothing he had to do. He stood up and walked out of the door. He decided to go check on Hinamori. Hitsugaya walked quickly and briskly over, his captain's haori flailing behind him in the wind.

The Fifth Division was silent when he arrived. He opened the door slowly and looked around for any signs of Hinamori. There was nothing. Hitsugaya suddenly had a sick feeling in his stomach as he remembered his words from the night before:

"_Look, my main point is this: don't go wandering anywhere, at anytime **by yourself**_."

The words echoed repeatedly in his head. He rushed out of the Fifth Division's quarters and started to look for Hinamori. Hitsugaya could sense that something was wrong. He looked in every garden and down every pathway; there was no sign of her. Then it hit him.

'_The meeting! Hinamori will have to be there.'_

So Hitsugaya made his way to the meeting, arriving half an hour early. When noon finally arrived, Taichous and Fuku-Taichous slowly made their way in. He searched fervently for Hinamori's dark hair in the crowd to no avail. Among the people who did come in, Hitsugaya noticed a worried Unohana, a shocked Isane and a concerned Renji. The snowy-haired Taichou couldn't fit the pieces together at all.

The meeting started, and Hinamori wasn't there.

Yamamoto's face was more serious than usual when he began to speak.

"There are reports that Sosuke Aizen has been seen in Sereitei."

Gasps could be heard all around the room. Hitsugaya's eyes just widened. Among the people who didn't seem surprised were Unohana, Isane and Renji. The puzzle still didn't make sense to Hitsugaya.

"There is no doubt that Aizen wants each and every one of our lives, so we must all be prepared at any given time. Only just last night, Aizen attacked one of our Fuku-Taichous. She is currently in an unstable state. Everyone has to --."

Hitsugaya had just zoned out. The pieces fit together and the puzzle did make sense. A Fuku-Taichou was attacked last night. **Everyone **was here. Except for Hinamori. That Fuku-Taichou was in an **unstable state**. Hinamori was already weak enough from one Aizen attack. How could she bear another one? Hitsugaya wanted to run out of the meeting right there and then. But he couldn't, so he waited.

The meeting slowly drew to a close and everyone exited the room, muttering darkly about the news they had just received. Hitsugaya made a run for the Fourth Division. There was no doubt that he would find Hinamori there.

'_I'll be there soon, Hinamori!'_

The child prodigy burst into the Fourth Division, asking hurriedly for directions to the room where Hinamori Momo was being kept. Once he was told, he sprinted down the hallway towards the room before slowing down to a stop before the door. He was about to rip the door open when he could hear quiet talking from inside. The door was open just a crack and Hitsugaya peered into the room with one of his blue-green eyes.

Renji sat in a chair next to the bed that held Hinamori. Renji was holding Hinamori's cold, pale hand in his own. Hitsugaya could feel his body go stiff from the sight. Then he heard talking. Hitsugaya noticed that Renji wasn't the only person with Hinamori.

"Do you think she'll be okay, Unohana-Taichou?"

"If things go well, she should be able to wake up in two days, but she will still be too weak to move on her own."

"Does that mean…?"

"Yes, even if she does wake up, she will still have to stay here under our care."

"I see."

There was a silence as Renji looked at Hinamori's still figure.

"Hinamori owes her life to you, Renji," Unohana told Renji softly.

"If it wasn't for the fact that you found her so quickly after the attack, she could be dead."

Renji tightened his grip on Hinamori's hand, as if willing her to wake up. With his free hand, he brushed against her soft cheek and gently ran his fingers through her hair. Renji had a soft smile on his face.

Hitsugaya turned around and started walking out of the building. Renji was the one who had saved her. Not him. He dearly wished that he could be the one who was sitting next to Hinamori, holding onto her hand and gently trying to wake her up. He thought of Renji, and inside him, he could feel the dragon of jealousy slowly raising its head and opening its wings. Hitsugaya clenched his fists.

'_Why am I feeling this way?'_

x.

T.T" Because you love her Hitsu-chan!! lol

Anyways, the love triangle has been introduced and to find out what happens, you have to keep reading XD

This chapter was written by me AGAIN after sasukefan1 used her **'negotiating' **skills. But, she has PROMISED to write the next chappy. YAY!!

So next time around, we will be able to see some truly 'soppy' and 'dramatic' writing... LOL

Reviews would be nice :P

&. strawberrii (sasukefan1)


	3. Chapter 3

WELL! After a lot of... -cough- nice demanding... o.O" sasukefan1 has finally written a chapter! XD

I hope you like this chapter and I'm sure it will be very 'soppy' and 'dramatic' ne?

Happy reading! :D

Disclaimer: Kubo Tite is the guy who owns Bleach... You should know that :O

**Chapter 3**

Hitsugaya walked outside, leaving the Fourth Division headquarters. He took his first few steps into the open air as he heard leaves rustling all around him. He could see a mixture of different color leaves gliding along with the breeze, as they spiralled away out of sight.

Hitsugaya looked up at the clear sky. He squinted even though there was no sun, as the heaven was immensely bright. He had an icy cold feeling inside him that was growing stronger as the thought of Renji came to mind. Him, this guy, Renji, saving Hinamori.

'_It doesn't fit,'_ Hitsugaya thought.

'_Renji, Hinamori'_

'_Renji, Hinamori'_

'_Renji, Hinamori'_

'_Renji, Hinamori'_

"AHHHHH!" Hitsugaya shouted to no one.

His mind was in so many places at the moment. Renji rescuing Hinamori from the clutches of Aizen was just a joke to him! He hardly even knew this Renji guy; a stranger was what he'd name him. Hitusgaya looked forward again. Something, a feeling, suddenly struck him as his eyes widened. The fury of the ice dragon could be felt throughout his body, through his veins; it was jealously.

**x. Tenth Division .x**

Hitsugaya walked into his office, followed by Matsumoto.

"What did you want, Histuagaya-Taichou?" she asked curiously.

"Matsumoto…I… I…" he stuttered. He could not find the correct words to explain his situation to her.

"Just say it. Take a deep breath. In and out, in and out."

He did as Matsumoto instructed. Normally he would not bother listening to her, but this was a big deal for him.

'_Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale,__'_ he thought.

"Okay," Hitsugaya took one last breath before he admitted:

"IthinkI'mjealousofthisRenjiguybecausehesavedHinamorianditwasn'tmewhosavedher.'

He had managed to say it in one breath, and finally confessed it openly.

Matsumoto blinked. Her face was completely expressionless, but for some reason, her Taichou had made perfect sense to her. Suddenly she cracked up laughing. She would never have expected Hitsugaya-Taichou to be jealous of anyone! It was Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya Toshiro, the silver-haired boy, shortest and youngest of all Taichous, jealous!

Hitsugaya didn't say anything. He just sat there watching Matsumoto as she laughed her head off, rolling on the couch, kicking her legs up high like a baby whining for food. Finally, when she calmed down and sat upright again, she could see Hitsugaya-Taichou, arms-crossed, glaring at her.

"Matsumoto... I'm serious," he said coldly.

Matsumoto giggled.

"It's just weird. Honestly, you would be the last person who'd I think would be jealous over some guy and then coming to me about your love problems."

'_Love… problems?_'

"Fine then, I'll ask another **close **friend of mine who is better than you and will actually **not **laugh at me after I tell them my dilemma." He stood up to leave, but the truth was he didn't have any other real close friends. It was just Matsumoto and Hinamori.

Matsumoto smirked. "I didn't know you had another **close **friend."

"Well… I just made another friend recently," he trailed off.

She sighed. It was obvious that he was lying. "Sit back down, Hitsugaya-Taichou."

"Why should I?" Hitsugaya was still being defensive.

"Do you want my help or not? Boys will never succeed by themselves, especially ones like you."

Hitsugaya stared at her coldly. Obviously he was offended, but he had to admit: he couldn't handle this situation on his own.

"Sorry, sorry, no offence." Matsumoto closed her eyes, softly giggling.

There were two couches, one opposite the other. Matsumoto sat on one and Hitsugaya then sat on the other. She then stared at him intensely trying to get vibes out of him. Hitsugaya looked weirdly at his Fuku-Taichou.

"Quit it, your scaring me," He said.

"I'm just trying to get something out of you. I need to know how jealous you are!" Matsumoto joked.

Hitsugaya plainly looked at her.

"Ok, I'm serious now, don't worry."

Matsumoto didn't need to think much. It was quite simple for her. But explaining it to the **dense-headed** captain in front of her could prove to be a challenge.

"You like Hinamori, Hitsugaya-Taichou."

She paused to let her statement sink in.

"And not just in like friends like, but in like **like**. Like, **like love** type of like. And she needs to know that when she wakes up. Otherwise… you'll be watching the love of you life with another person for the rest of your life. Understand, Hitsugaya-Taichou?"

He thought for a second. His mind was slightly spinning at all the 'likes' and 'loves' Matsumoto had just said. He looked down, gazing at the floor; there were floorboards. Dark brown with random spots scattered around. Hitsugaya thought of what Matsumoto had said. He realised she was right. He had developed true, deep feelings for Hinamori and he had to, no he **must **tell her his real feelings. Hitsugaya looked up again but he seemed happier and more cheerful this time, a small smile on his usually serious face.

"Thanks Matsumoto. I owe you one."

x.

-is holding signs that say 'make it more soppy' and 'make it more DRAMATIC'-

LOL!! jkjk sasukefan1, you did an awesome job XD

Since I had the almighty job of editting it, i added a few things. I'm sorry... I had to add that bit about Hitsugaya's 'dense-headedness' WAHAHAHA!! :D

and btw, sasukefan1... dont kill me for changing stuff... -hides under a rock-

Hope you like this chapter and thank you for all the reviews; much appreciated. :D

**Constructive criticism** is allowed as well, so please review XD

we will update this story when we reach 15 reviews... or if we get really bored one day LOL

&. strawberrii (and sasukefan1)

chapter written by sasukefan1


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Well, I guess strawberrii shall be taking over completely now. XD sasukefan1 is kinda busy so… everyone had to put up with me! –crowd of people walks away- o.o"

First of all: I am SO SORRY that this story has been abandoned for so long! I promise that this will be the first chaptered story I complete! Second: Seeing as it's been a while since the last update, I'll have a little preview to refresh your memory.

I'M REALLY SORRY!

Disclaimer: I'm sorry, but I don't own Bleach either.

**The Truth**

_**Previously…**_

Hitsugaya thought of what Matsumoto had said. He realised she was right. He had developed true, deep feelings for Hinamori and he had to, no he **must **tell her his true feelings. Hitsugaya looked up again but he seemed happier and more cheerful this time.

"Thanks Matsumoto. I owe you one."

**Chapter Four**

Running footsteps could be heard. Hitsugaya Toshiro had only one place in mind when he left his own division after his serious talk with his Fuku-Taichou: the Fourth Division. Opening the door gently, he slid into the Fourth Division soundlessly. From his previous visit, Hitsugaya knew where Hinamori's room was already. Without wasting a single second, he made his way quickly to her room. From outside her room, Hitsugaya could already hear a male voice. The Taichou fought to keep the dragon of jealousy inside him under control. He knocked on the door. A frail voice answered.

"Come in."

Hitsugaya entered stiffly, giving the Fuku-Taichou of the Sixth Division a quick glare; Renji picked up the message instantly, inwardly grinning at the thought of the child prodigy being jealous.

"Oi Hinamori, I just remembered that I have to go do something for Kuchiki-Taichou. I'll see you later!"

The girl nodded her head ever so slightly and Renji rushed out of the room, barely suppressing his laughter. He ran quickly and exited the Fourth Division, and when he was sure that Hitsugaya couldn't hear him anymore, he burst out laughing.

**.X.**

Hinamori smiled weakly at her childhood friend. Hitsugaya went forward and took her hand, just like how he had seen Renji do so. Her hand was so soft… but so cold. Hinamori gave a weak cough. Hitsugaya looked at her in deep concern.

"Hinamori, do you want me to go and turn on the heater? You seem so cold."

The Fuku-Taichou gently shook her head. She began to speak in her clear voice, although it was much softer than usual.

"It's okay… if it gets cold, you can just lend me your haori."

Hinamori laughed, her gentle laughter echoing around them. Her laugh was contagious. Soon Hitsugaya couldn't help but laugh softly as well; his friend seemed quite cheerful.

"So, Hinamori… how have you been?"

"At first I thought that it was going to be quite lonely… but Abarai-kun visits me everyday and brings fresh flowers too."

Hitsugaya squeezed Hinamori's hands unconsciously. The Fuku-Taichou didn't seem to notice as she carried on.

"People think all he cares about is fighting and that he doesn't have a soft side… but he's really caring you know, Hitsugaya-kun. Abarai-Kun is actually really sweet, it's kind of cute."

The girl giggled. This time, Hitsugaya didn't join her. Time slowly passed by as Hinamori's voice got stronger and stronger… talking about Renji. It was almost driving the Taichou insane, but he couldn't find the right words to change the subject, nor did he want to leave Hinamori's side again. However, each and every word that Hinamori said would only leave the Taichou feeling uneasy.

"I still remember that time back at the academy when Abarai-kun saved me from that hollow! He was so brave…"

'_Why…'_

"I really thought I was going to die! But then he came and saved me just in time."

'_Why can't Hinamori see me in the same light she sees Renji?'_

"Now that I think about it, he's saved me so many times…"

'_Haven't I saved you many times too?'_

"He's really strong."

'_Am I that weak?'_

"Hitsugaya-kun! Enough about Abarai-kun now, how have you been?"

The emerald eyed boy looked up in surprise; the last thing he had expected was Hinamori changing the subject from Renji to him. He opened his mouth dumbly, no words came out.

"Ah… Uh…"

"Hitsugaya-kun?"

"I've been good, just a lot of paperwork as usual."

The Fuku-Taichou smiled understandingly. She changed the topic once again when she cast her eyes upwards to look at the ceiling. Her eyes had a sad, distant look, which turned into a gaze of relief and happiness when she looked back at Hitsugaya.

"Unohana-Taichou told me that I could have gone into a coma…"

"Oh."

"Aren't you glad that I'm awake, even though I can't even stand?"

"Of course I'm glad! I mean… I don't know what I would do if you went into a coma."

Hinamori blinked and then smiled. It was cute when Hitsugaya stumbled over his own words and ended up saying things that he didn't want to. Sure enough, the Taichou's face stained pink as he looked down at the ground, intrigued by the plain floorboards.

"Arigato ne, Shiro-chan."

That woke him up.

"Hey! Because you're in a fragile condition, I refrained from telling you off when you called me 'Hitsugaya-kun', but don't think I'll stay silent when you call me that childish name, bed-wetter!"

The brown eyed girl raised her voice defiantly, although it was quite difficult in her state.

"Don't call me that! I don't wet my bed anymore, and you know that!"

"Then don't call me Shiro-chan!"

"You stop calling me bed-wetter first!"

"No, you stop first!"

The childish argument could have continued for the whole afternoon. Indeed, it was a relief to talk to Hinamori about something aside from Renji, and it was a form of joy to be able to laugh and see her smile as they talked about the silly names they had used in their childhood together. It brought back memories for both of them. But the kiddy argument was broken when both of them noticed the sky darkening from a window and lightning cackling outside. Hinamori closed her eyes in fear. It wasn't long before they could hear the rain pouring down on the roof. The Fuku-Taichou hugged herself tightly and gave Hitsugaya a small, cheeky smile.

"Mou Shiro-chan, I'm feeling a little cold now…"

But instead a Taichou's haori enveloping her, Hinamori felt Hitsugaya's strong arms encircle her and pull her into a warm hug. The Fuku-Taichou closed her eyes and let the warmness surround her. Hitsugaya remembered what he had said to Matsumoto earlier and took a deep breath.

"I think I love you."

* * *

A/N: Haha, is it a cliffhanger? XD Anyways, I admit: It's shorter than what I would usually write, but it's really late now… but I had to update this. I felt so bad!! :P Excuse any grammar/spelling mistakes, I'm so tired that I'm posting this up without proofreading it. I'll get around to proofreading tomorrow! XD Anyways, review please and I'll update as soon as I can.

&. strawberrii –falls asleep on keyboard-


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Since this story hadn't been updated for such a long time, I thought I would lose quite a few readers. Imagine my shock at all the positive reviews! Thank you all so much! strawberrii could never do it without you guys. :) So it's update time! And if I'm pretty sure I'll be finishing this story in one or two chapters… no promises though! :P

Thanks to everyone again! :D

Disclaimer: strawberrii is too crazy to own Bleach.

**The Truth**

**Chapter Five**

"Y- You what?"

Hitsugaya closed his eyes. Taking another deep breath, he managed to squeeze out the same words one more time.

"I think I like you."

Hinamori gently pushed Hitsugaya away, ending the hug. There was pain written in his eyes and shock in hers. An awkward silence stretched out between them as Hinamori contemplated the sincerity in Hitsugaya's words. The room stayed quiet for a long time; even the storm ended before the silence did. The Fuku-Taichou's voice came out shaky and unsure.

"Are you… serious?"

The child prodigy paused. Was he serious? He thought about the issue carefully. Yes, he had never been so serious in his life. There was nothing he could be more certain about. Slowly, Hitsugaya nodded his head, shocking Hinamori yet again.

"I- I really don't know what to say… Shiro-chan."

His face fell. Of course Hinamori wouldn't return his feelings; she liked Renji. Hitsugaya stood up stiffly and walked towards the door bitterly. Hinamori suddenly regretted the way she had worded her reply and called out.

"W- Wait!"

The door slammed shut and footsteps slowly faded away. Her eyes began to tear up; it wasn't meant to end this way. How did things turn out so messed up, so wrong? Her voice was barely a whisper, so that even if Hitsugaya _was _still in the room, he wouldn't be able to hear her.

"I just never thought that I would ever hear you say those words..."

The volume of Hinamori's voice lowered even more, that unless you were right next to her, you wouldn't have heard.

"… apart from in my dreams."

**.X.**

"Taichou!"

"What?"

Silence.

Matsumoto might not be the brightest person, but she definitely wasn't an idiot; she knew when her Taichou was in a bad mood. But she couldn't help but think that this 'bad mood' was different from usual. Hitsugaya seemed distracted, and didn't even seem to notice the pyramid of empty sake bottles underneath her desk. The strawberry-blonde couldn't take it.

"Spill."

"What?"

"Is that the only word you are capable of saying now, Taichou?"

Silence.

Matsumoto rolled her eyes; this was getting too awkwardly childish! She stood up and marched over to her Taichou before grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him roughly.

"Hi- Tsu- Ga- Ya To- Shi- Ro!"

"WHAT?!"

"Look, I spent a long time explaining what you had to do and how you were going to go about doing it. I sit here, getting so excited about your return that I drink one… two… ten bottles of sake! You come back, and you don't tell me ANYTHING!"

"There's nothing to tell."

The Fuku-Taichou raised an unbelieving eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

Hitsugaya nodded, shuffling the papers on his desk around absentmindedly and dropping majority of them onto the floor. Even so, he didn't seem to notice as he continued straightening the pile he had in his hands until every single sheet was on the ground. Hitsugaya held his empty hands out in front of him in surprise.

"Done yet, Taichou?"

The child prodigy scowled as he bent down and started picking up the sheets one by one. Matsumoto sighed; really, sometimes you would forget how old Hitsugaya was with how mature and controlled he would usually be. Only the sounds of rustling paper could be heard, and when all the paperwork was back on the desk, Hitsugaya leaned back in his seat and finally spoke.

"I got rejected."

Even Matsumoto was stunned.

"W- Wh- What?"

The Taichou smiled half-heartedly, his whole body looking vulnerable; he had never seemed so weak and fragile before.

'_That's how much Hinamori means to him…' _Matsumoto couldn't help but think.

Hitsugaya started to work on the paperwork, his hand shaking as he signed document after document. Suddenly, the Taichou felt a hand on top of his own. Matsumoto looked down at her Taichou with worried eyes.

"Why don't you go and take a break? I'll do the paperwork, I promise."

He opened his mouth to protest but Matsumoto simply shook her head and pointed at the door. If Hitsugaya hadn't been in such an unstable state, he most probably would have argued. But today was different, and the child prodigy had no such energy. He left the Tenth Division, Hyourinmaru left lying on the polished wooden floor inside.

**.X.**

Hitsugaya covered his face with both of his hands. What was he doing? What was he _thinking_? He didn't exactly give Hinamori a chance to explain. Then again, her comments sounded too much like a rejection already; he didn't want to go back just to hear more. He wandered around aimlessly, kicking stones that were in his path. He felt unusually light without the weight of Hyourinmaru on his back, but his heart was heavy with grief and sorrow. Even if he carried a car on his back, it still wouldn't be able to compare to the heaviness of his heart. The Taichou walked further and further away, until he reached the edge of a forest that hadn't been entered in years, possibly decades. But something pulled him towards the dangerous, lumbering greenery, an invisible string. His feet behaved on their own accord.

And when he was deep in the forest, he saw _him_.

Normally at the sight of him, Hitsugaya would have reached for Hyourinmaru and released bankai without even a thought, slashing at the man in the feverish hope that one blow might land and deal a fatal injury.

This time was different.

Usually bright, green eyes seemed dead as Hitsugaya stared back at Aizen blankly, his face devoid of any emotion. The former Taichou of the Fifth Division walked towards the young boy slowly.

"What's wrong, Hitsugaya-kun?"

No reply; the same lifeless eyes that seemed to stare into emptiness.

Aizen raised his zanpakutou so that it rested on Hitsugaya's shoulder, only a hair's breadth away from his neck.

"I see you have no intention to fight back."

He pulled blade away from Hitsugaya and then slashed at the tensai's arm. Instead of a scream of agony, Hitsugaya simply winced in pain as blood streamed down his arm. The corner of Aizen's mouth lifted into a sinister smirk as he shunpoed behind the white-haired boy.

"Are you sure you don't want to fight back?"

He didn't even flinch. The traitor raised his zanpakutou, its edge glinting menacingly in the almost faded sun. Time seemed to pass in segments.

First the blade being swung down.

Then the zanpakutou making contact with Hitsugaya.

Blood streaming from the wound in his back.

A large puddle at his feet.

The Taichou falling to his knees.

Aizen's evil smile of triumph.

The only thing that seemed unusual was that Hitsugaya fell without a sound, without a single word. Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly, as he began to taunt the bleeding boy.

"You know, I don't see any point inflicting the final blow on someone who doesn't even want to try and live."

The brown-haired man glared at Hitsugaya with unspeakable distaste.

"I'll let you live, if you can make it back to the Fourth Division by yourself."

No matter what the evil man said, Hitsugaya was not swayed; nothing could persuade him into going, he had no motivation to continue living.

"If you're gone, nothing will stop me from getting to Hinamori."

With that, Aizen sauntered away, leaving Hitsugaya with all the motivation he needed. Slowly, moving inch by inch and getting to his feet, Hitsugaya stumbled towards wherever he had come from, blood still streaming down his back, threatening to kill him. Each step he took brought him pain, but each step was just as necessary as the next.

Each step brought him closer to Hinamori.

**.X.**

"Hinamori Momo?"

"Yes?"

"You may be discharged from hospital in ten minutes; we're just finishing off the last bit of paperwork."

Hinamori smiled at the woman pleasantly.

"Arigato."

"However, Unohana-Taichou recommends that you go around the place with crutches for a while, until we know that you can walk stably for certain."

The Fuku-Taichou nodded and the woman smiled in return.

"I'll be back soon with crutches for you."

**.X.**

Hitsugaya wasn't taking steps anymore, he was crawling. Walking took up too much energy, but he wasn't going to give up on reducing the distance between him and Hinamori. He would do everything in his power to get closer to her, to protect her; even if that meant his life.

And it had never gotten as close as this.

* * *

A/N: Sorry, this chapter ended up kind of rushed. I wrote the first few paragraphs in the morning on some random day, and I finished it just now at 3am. Yes, I'm exhausted now, but I still need to update, no matter how bad this chapter turned out. Once again, I'm not proof-reading; I am much too dead. Hope you can understand!

Oh, and as depressing as this chapter turned out to be, it will end happily, I promise! I don't like writing sad endings… well, most of the time! :P

&. strawberrii


	6. Chapter 6

_Previously;_

_Thinking that Hinamori didn't return his feelings through a big misunderstanding, Hitsugaya wanders off alone and lifeless. In this unlively state, Aizen finds him and wounds him. At the time when he was leaving Hitsugaya, Aizen made a remark; that he would be going to the Fourth Division to find Hinamori. With all the energy he had left, Hitsugaya tries desperately to get there before Aizen and protect his bed-wetter..._

**The Truth**

**Chapter Six**

Aizen walked through Sereitei leisurely, as if not a single person there wanted his life. His footsteps led him further and further away from the forest and closer and closer to the Fourth Division. Behind him, Aizen could feel a weak flame of reiatsu. It was obvious who's it was, but Aizen ignored it all the same. Even when he was far, far away from the body he had left behind bleeding, the tiny flame never faltered until suddenly a ghostly wind blew…

And the flame went out.

The traitor chuckled quietly and continued on his way.

**.X.**

The impact could be heard everywhere, no one missed it. Everyone gasped and felt a sudden jolt. People reacted to the situation differently but there were a few unique responses.

'_Taichou!'_

'_Hitsugaya-Taichou!'_

'_Shiro-chan!!'_

All pandemonium broke loose.

**.X.**

He couldn't see him anymore; he was already much further ahead of him. Hitsugaya continued to crawl with dogged determination. He needed to be at the Forth Division regardless of his condition. Hinamori was there. Aizen was going there. He couldn't lie here uselessly. His white haori was stained with blood, but Hitsugaya ignored it. A stab of pain suddenly pierced the Taichou, leaving him panting and holding onto his life by a tiny thread. Unable to control it, he coughed. Blood sprayed out in front of him. Hitsugaya's vision blurred and for a moment, it felt as if his heart had stopped beating. He fell to the ground in silence.

Rushing footsteps arrived in only a matter of seconds. For the first time, it seemed Unohana was in panic. She released her zanpakutou and quickly began the healing process. If Hitsugaya's heart stopped beating for any longer, his life would be lost. As the large manta ray swallowed Hitsugaya, a single whispered word floated on the wind

"Hinamori…"

Isane gasped and Unohana's eyes widened; they had left the almost healed girl alone. In this rush, they had forgotten that she would probably be the one who would take this the worst. Considering the fact that Minazuki concealed reiatsus, Hinamori would be thinking of the worst case scenario.

"Isane…!"

Without another word, the Fuku-Taichou shunpoed away to calm down the girl who was definitely in ruins.

**.X.**

Hinamori kept her expression calm as the woman returned with her crutches. Smiling sweetly, Hinamori took the crutches and began experimenting, trying to figure out a walking patter that suited her. When she finally did, she left the Fourth Division. The smile on her face was wiped off and her face contorted with fear. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Her crutches landed on a misplaced rock and Hinamori tripped. The Fuku-Taichou crumpled to the ground and the tears fell uncontrollably. She couldn't bottle it in any longer.

"DON'T LEAVE ME SHIRO-CHAN!"

**.X.**

Isane flew through the greenery as fast as she could, not paying any attention to anything or anyone nearby. The world was silent. Suddenly a desperate, distressed cry rang in her ears. For Isane, it was only a sign she wasn't going fast enough. Her shunpos increased in speed and the minutes passed slowly. She came to a stop when she finally reached the gardens in front of the Fourth Division. But instead of the crying, weak Fuku-Taichou Isane was expecting to find, she found a perfectly healthy traitor standing behind a frozen Hinamori.

"Aizen! You stay away from her!"

It wasn't hard to hear the fear in Isane's voice; she shook as she contemplated all possible paths of action. She could run and get help, but then Hinamori's life was definitely in danger. She could try to bind him with kido and then get help, but her kido wasn't at such a high level that it couldn't bind a previous Taichou. Or, she could fight him and attract as much attention as she could, risking her life.

She made her decision quickly; her hand reaching for her zanpakutou, about to attack. But someone got there before her.

"I'm never going to forgive you!"

Tobiume sliced through the air quickly, missing Aizen by only an inch. His chest would have a gaping hole if he hadn't shunpoed at the last minute. Isane was behind the Taichou in a flash, slashing at him in succession but without a single blow landing. Hinamori, helpless from fear and her injuries, grabbed handfuls of rocks from the ground and threw them at the traitor. The rocks didn't seem to have any effect on the traitor as he continued to effortlessly dodge every attack. Sweat dripped off Isane's forhead as her stamina started to fail her. Aizen finally saw the chance to attack and decided to attack Isane the same way Hinamori had attacked him. The evil blade glided through the air, about to make contact with Isane's worn out body when suddenly the Fuku-Taichou disappeared.

"Oi! Isane! You alright?"

Panting, Isane managed to nod her head quickly. She knew that her life would've been extinguished if she hadn't been shunpoed away by her rescuer. Isane whispered something quietly and her rescuer nodded. He jumped off the tree that he had taken the Fuku-Taichou and let out a loud shout.

"BANKAI!"

The blade started to grow and grow until it covered an enormous length. At the end, there seemed to be the skeleton of a snake's head. The snake's body carefully wrapped itself around Hinamori and lifted her to the safety of the tree as well. Isane quickly started to heal the Fuku-Taichou, magic flowing from the palms of her hands

"Hinamori, listen: this is only temporary relief from your injuries. Don't go overboard"

It was only when everyone seemed safe did the Fuku-Taichou of the Sixth Division direct his full attention to Aizen.

"You've grown, Abarai-kun"

"I don't need your praise!"

The snake head came crashing down on the spot where Aizen stood. The impact sent waves of sound all around Sereitei. Now there wasn't a single shinigami who didn't know where they were. His sword still unreleased, Aizen merely took a step sideways and was left unharmed. The fight could probably end in just a second if Aizen felt compelled to do so. However, the fight raged on, minute after minute with neither of the two making a mark on the other. Aizen smirked and Renji bit his lip; he always knew that Aizen would notice the approach before it happened. All that reiatsu was impossible to miss, even with Renji trying his best to distract the evil man. The fight between them stopped. Yamamoto emerged from a large crowd and bellowed:

"Aizen! Don't even try to escape. Today, we won't rest until we see your blood paint the ground beneath our feet!"

The former Taichou smiled smugly as he turned in a slow circle. He was completely encircled by every shinigami in Soul Society.

Minus Hitsugaya.

**A/N: **No babble at the start, only at the end. I'm 95% sure that this story will end next chapter… but yeah. I suck at promising these sort of things coz I might end up rambling on for a while…

So yeah! Um… this story is actually really random, looking back on it now xD. It started off as a team effort with my good buddy who ditched me~ D: But oh well…

&. strawberrii


	7. Chapter 7

**The Truth**

**Chapter Seven**

_Previously…_

Yamamoto emerged from a large crowd and bellowed:

"Aizen! Don't even try to escape. Today, we won't rest until we see your blood paint the ground beneath our feet!"

The former Taichou smiled smugly as he turned in a slow circle. He was completely encircled by every shinigami in Soul Society.

Minus Hitsugaya.

* * *

They were all falling.

Aizen was too powerful, his reiatsu too overwhelming. An enormous number of shinigami were crumbling to their knees before the traitor. Captains of each division could only grit their teeth and remain calm, even as they watched their own men depart this world. Aizen's treacherous zanpakutou didn't make things an easier. Casting illusions where there were duplicates of himself, as well as illusions that confused the mind of one shinigami to attack all his allies.

It had become utter chaos.

Hinamori watched from her position high up on a tree branch next to Isane. The man, the _monster,_ down there was her former captain, the man she had admired for so many years, the man who she had actually felt sadness and excruciating pain for when he had 'died'. At the same time, other memories pushed their way through. He was the man who had wounded her, almost to the point of death, not once… but twice. He had turned against everything she had thought he believed in, severing all ties with Soul Society. But the most horrid crime Aizen had committed was the one that gave her all the strength she needed: this man had taken away her Shiro-chan's life.

The Fuku-Taichou stood up, her stance unstable. Isane hurriedly helped Hinamori to gain her balance again; she shoved the Fuku-Taichou of the Fourth Division off. In her eyes burned a fire that no one had ever seen in Hinamori before.

**

* * *

**

"_Minazuki, how's the healing going?"_

Unohana spoke calmly through her mind to her zanpakutou, although her heart was racing inside her.

"_The boy is strong. Something akin to determination seems to be speeding up the healing process at an alarming rate."_

The Taichou was not surprised. Sitting on the head of the large manta ray, Unohana directed it towards her own division, taking a route that she knew all too well. This time, she wasn't going back for the sake of bringing in the injured; she was headed in that direction because it seemed like all the reiatsu in Seireitei had been gathered at that one spot. It seemed improbable that that was really the case, making it all the more necessary to see what was the matter.

But even at a distance, the sight astonished her.

"_I- Is that what I think it is?"_

"_Yes… it seems that the entire Gotei 13 have gathered at our front door. Ah!"_

"_Minazuki!"_

"_The boy- He's conscious already!"_

Unohana's hands began to tremble. An almost inaudible whisper escaped: "Impossible."

"_Land!"_

Minazuki began a slow decent, landing softly on the ground. Unohana hopped off gracefully and raced for the mouth of the manta ray. Minazuki opened its mouth as it revealed a Hitsugaya who was standing on his feet, wiping some slime off his face. His turquoise eyes burned.

"Hitsgaya-Taichou! Lie down for a bit! There is no need to push yourself this much!"

The young captain ignored those words, choosing to spin in a slow circle as if to show off his completely unmarred body and clothes. He then fixed Unohana a piercing glare.

"I'm going whether you like it or not."

There was no doubt about where Hitsugaya was talking about. The healing professional protested hotly; something had to be wrong. Only minutes ago, the wounds which disfigured the white-haired Taichou had seemed fatal. Only moments later, he seemed completely healed. It was unheard of, insane, not possible. Minazuki retreated back to the sheath that its master was carrying. Although it was against all the morals a healer would abide by, Unohana shunpo'd quickly behind Hitsugaya and aimed a fist straight at where the Tenth Division member had been slashed previously. He showed no reaction.

With one final cold glare, Hitsugaya shunpo'd off through the trees and towards the crowd as he whispered words that were lost to the wind.

"Kunrinsha yo. Chiniku no kamen…"

Unohana followed behind, refusing to believe that the scene before her was a reality.

**

* * *

**

"… Banshou. Habataki. Hito no na o kansumono yo…"

Hinamori's speech was labored; her words so quiet that Isane couldn't even hear them properly. Not only was she quiet, she was speaking so slowly that the words were hardly understandable. Isane tore her eyes away from the weakened Fuku-Taichou to watch the fight commencing underneath.

Yamamoto had made an impressive move, one that many hoped would be able to turn the tables in their favour. With an unreal slash at Aizen, the So-Taichou had separated Aizen from his blade. Kyoka Suigetsu clattered to the ground as an unarmed Aizen let his emotionless façade slip for a second. The Fuku-Taichou of the First Division picked up the discarded sword and held it firmly in his left hand; Aizen wasn't getting his zanpakutou back anytime soon. The traitor let a distorted grin spread across his face.

"I guess I was careless; I had forgotten about your strength Yamamoto So-Taichou."

"There is no need for a conspirator like you to call me such, Aizen Sosuke."

"Although I now have no blade, and thus no more illusions, you would assume that everything will be easier for you, no? Without one's blade, one can still attack with hakuda, hoho… and kido. Hado no Kyuu Jyuu: Kurohitsugi!"

For a kido that was so high in number to be cast without the incantation, Aizen was not going down without a fight. A huge black box seemed to cover half the shinigami army as cries of pain rang out from within. The former Taichou had returned to Soul Society. Why? He himself didn't even know. Something within him had called him here, something that wanted him to wreck havoc upon those who remained here. It was all for his entertainment.

A familiar dark-eyed female shinigami appeared before Aizen suddenly, her voice now stronger, louder. She marched with confident strides closer and closer towards Aizen and the forest behind him, her hands held out before her as a blue light formed before them.

"… Taika no fuchi o enten ni tematsu! HADO NO ROKU JYUU SAN: SOUREN SOUKATSUI!"

This time, Hinamori attacked with the intention to kill. Kido had always been her strong forte and as the blue light tore from her palms, no one would disagree. Even without the incantation, Hinamori's kido was formidable; but with it, it was something else. Two separate lines of blue energy wound themselves around each other in a flawless way, heading straight towards Aizen. The Fuku-Taichou's talent had never been publically displayed before, but now everyone was in awe.

However, no one new more about Hinamori's strengths than her previous captain.

Aizen sidestepped the blow, though the immense reiatsu had managed to slightly burn the edges of his clothes. The brown-haired man was about to utter some words of belittling praise when the unexpected happened; blue fire engulfed him from behind. Aizen fell forward and onto his knees and as the smoke the fire had induced settled, everyone saw a clouded figure standing at the edge of the forest. The figure had a single arm held outwards, still with a tiny glow of blue within his palm. The gathered shinigami muttered about who it could possibly be as a soft wind blew the away the smoke. The white-hair was a quick giveaway.

**

* * *

**

"I- I thought I had l- lost you forever!"

Hinamori's tears came down in an uncontrollable stream. The Aizen incident was over now. After Hitsugaya's unexpected attack, the traitor had been substantially weakened. Even someone with incredible reiatsu knew when it was time to stop fooling around, and after taking a few more blows from the Taichou's present, shunpo'd towards Kyoka Suigetsu before seemingly vanishing. His reiatsu was gone.

"That'd never happen bed-wetter."

"You're lying! Look how c- close it came today!"

Her hands in fists, Hinamori wiped away the tears feverishly. Hitsugaya gingerly wrapped an arm around her in comfort, preparing for her to shrug him off. Surely she would've preferred Renji to be the one next to her in this scenario. Instead, Hinamori seemed to tackle him in a hug. The tensai seemed stunned.

"Oi, oi… calm down already. Everyone's fine and everything will be back to normal soon. Stop crying, Hinamori."

"How can I just stop when you say so? I almost lost the most important person in my life today!"

"R- Really? What happened to Abarai?"

Hinamori quickly wiped away her tears as a frown creased her forehead. She eyed her childhood friend carefully, and the white-haired boy didn't seem to waver.

"Nothing happened to Abarai-kun."

"Then who did you almost lose?"

The tensai was genuinely confused now. He quickly ended the embrace they were sharing. Hitsugaya stared straight into Hinamori's eyes as the Fuku-Taichou wrapped her arms around herself, tears beginning to fall again.

"B- Baka! I meant _you!_ Shiro-chan, I love you too!"

She leapt into Hitsugaya's arms and the hug they shared seemed to last for centuries. The Taichou was lost in his own world as the words replayed in his mind over and over. Had he misheard? Was this a dream?

The kiss Hinamori gave him the next second answered all his questions and calmed all his uncertainties.

**~ OWARI ~**

A/N: Well, it may say 'Owari' but I'm considering writing an epilogue. Haha~ depends on what you readers and reviewers think though :) Thank you for reading all the way until the end of this story; I'm sure it was difficult ne? I swear, I must be one of the slowest update-ers in the history of fanfiction! xD Some quick notes:

- I know this chapter was quite rushed, so I'm sorry for any mistakes.  
- I also have to admit it seems _highly improbable _that Aizen could've been taken down that easily. I would've _liked_ to have killed him... but that seemed too impossible.  
- It is a pretty hurried ending, so I'm sorry if it disappointed. ^^;

All in all though, that's it for The Truth! Despite having some difficulties (*cough* sasukefan1, where did you go? D:) I got there in the end!

Epilogue: Yes or No? Tell me in a review ;D And if you guys want an epilogue, I'll promise to make it a happy and cheerful one (I'm quite sick of sad and depressingness =/)

&. strawberrii


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